I’m always interested in finding new ways to enhance my and my family’s health with delicious salads, while making the journey enjoyable, fun, and fulfilling.
This last year, our family moved to a new home with more land on our property, deeply immersed in nature, and in a rural environment. The move has really allowed me to slow down and be in a place where I enjoy devoting myself to taking care of myself and my family through tending to the roots.
By this I mean, I’ve really been focused on connecting with our land and finding ways to start to build our own homestead to source as much of what’s going into our bodies from our own land to support our wellbeing.
While this is a longer process, I am immersed in a journey of learning, exploration and experimentation of supporting our health and wellbeing through cooking flavorful, nutrient dense, seasonal recipes to nourish us in various ways.
Natural Seasonal Allergy Treatments
As our first spring up here, I found myself moving through an intense response to having seasonal allergies that were so incredibly debilitating.
I was a wreck for a good 10 days and could not feel that way any longer. I was told to take zyrtek and I absolutely hated. I refused to take it after feeling like a zombie and in a terrible mood for a few days.
I learned that aside from sleep and stress management being key to the intensity of our allergic response, I found out that stinging nettle, local bee pollen and dandelion are all excellent for helping with seasonal allergies.
I have been putting local bee pollen in my smoothie daily I made this amazing dandelion greens pesto that we have all been LOVING!
The Dandelion Greens Pesto Recipe
To make the dandelion greens pesto, I used this Dandelion Greens Pesto Recipe from Adamant Kitchen.
I used sunflower seeds instead of pine nuts based on what we had on hand and it was incredible!
We ate it with this insane egg salad I made (recipe also included below), Jon put it on top of a burger the next day, my dad ate it with bread sticks and we basically just added it to everything!
Health Benefits of Dandelion Greens
The best part of the dandelion greens pesto is that dandelions are so insanely good for you as they help with so many things. Here are a few (of many!) of the many benefits!
Digestion: Dandelions can help with constipation and indigestion by increasing the movement of the gastrointestinal tract, stimulating stomach acid and bile release, and helping to remove toxins.
Detoxification: Dandelion root can help detoxify the liver and gallbladder, while dandelion leaves can help flush toxins through the kidneys. Dandelions also improve bile flow, which can help cleanse and detoxify the liver.
Inflammation: Dandelion leaves contain antioxidants and essential fatty acids that can help reduce inflammation and relieve mild pain and swelling.
Antioxidants: Dandelions are rich in antioxidants, which can help protect cells from damage and may help protect against disease and aging.
Immune system: Dandelion tea is a good source of vitamin C, which can help support the immune system.
Weight loss: Dandelions can act as a diuretic to increase urine flow, which can help with weight loss.
Blood sugar: Dandelions can help keep blood sugar levels low by stimulating insulin production and excreting excess sugar
I’ve been feeling an aversion to meat for a while and have been focusing on fish, eggs and beans as my protein sources. I don’t follow one particular diet and am not a fan of labels but follow what my body tells me it needs and in this season of life this way of eating is feeling really good to me.
I like having protein rich snacks in the fridge so that if there’s a day I’m running to get the kids and don’t have time to prep something for myself or something, I can eat whole foods that will fuel and sustain me without stress.
So I made an egg salad… but let me tell you. This is not your average egg salad!
The Most Insane Spring Egg Salad Recipe
This egg salad by Love & Lemons feels fresh, crunchy and brightly flavored in your mouth! It’s not one of those mushy, dead, bland ones!
In addition to the red onion, I added in celery and capers and for herbs I used cilantro and let me tell you, it was a HIT!
Orzo Arugula Salad Deliciousness
Speaking of salads, I recently learned about the health benefits of orzo and had a total moment. Like how did I go my entire life without knowing this about orzo?!
And then after both learning the health benefits of orzo and then making this salad !!!! – let me tell you, orzo and I have a whole new relationship that’s just heating up.
But this salad! Ya’ll, this is going on my weekly rotation I think! I mean, def is going to be made for like every summer BBQ I have !
First of all, I snagged the amazing Orzo Arugula Salad recipe from Life Made Simple . I made a few tiny swaps based on what I had on hand and our preferences and it was perfection
- Instead of sundried tomatoes I used these Trader Joe’s Sweet Picante Peppers I had on hand
- I omitted the sugar
- I omitted the dried cranberries
- I omitted the burrata/riccota cheese bc the peppers I added had some in there
- In the dressing I used 1/2 a small onion instead of shallot based on what we had on hand
- I added in chopped cherry tomatoes and cucumbers
Health Benefits of Orzo
Orzo has a higher protein and fiber content than rice!
- Low glycemic index: Orzo has a glycemic index of around 50, which means it doesn’t cause blood sugar levels to rise quickly. This can help you feel full longer and snack less.
- High in protein: Orzo is a good source of plant-based protein, making it a good option for vegetarians and vegans.
- Low in fat and cholesterol: Orzo is a healthy choice for heart health, with only one gram of fat per serving.
- Contains essential minerals: Orzo is a good source of iron, magnesium, and zinc, which are important for overall health.
- Rich in vitamins: Orzo contains vitamin B3, which is important for brain function and energy production
I encourage you to try these recipes and rejuvenate your weekly rotate both nutritionally and taste wise.
Please let me know what you try and what you think!
And if you’re craving light, healthy and super tasty summer recipes, I have been making some real crowd pleasers lately from fish tacos to salmon cakes and crab cakes and I share them all here!
